1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle door assembly including an inside panel, and an easily removable outside panel.
2. Technology Review
Vehicle doors including inside and outside panels are known in the art, however, using conventional technology, the panels are either bonded or welded together. Consequently, the two panels form a single structure, and the outside panel is not removable from the inside panel. In such a situation, access to the space formed between the two panels is limited and is generally accomplished through access holes located within the inside panel. This causes difficulties in assembly and maintenance of the door locking and window mechanisms. Furthermore, should the outside panel be damaged, replacement of the entire door assembly may become necessary. Additionally, the panels often experience different rates of thermal expansion. This can cause flexing and deformation of the panels, and possible damage to the weld or bond, resulting in door rattles, and a loss in the structural integrity of the assembly.
It is also known in the prior art to have an inner panel attached by screw fasteners to the outer panel. However, the problem with thermal expansion still exists. Moreover, screw connections are very expensive because reinforcements must be provided for the screw holes in the receiving panel. In the case of panels made from synthetic resins, this may lead to sink marks in the surface to be painted. Lastly, the attachment and removal of multiple screw fasteners is a time consuming task.
A vehicle door assembly having a removable outside panel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,351. In this vehicle door assembly, the outside panel is removable and is provided with a profile strip that acts as a seal and compensates for differences in thermal expansions. However, this invention has the disadvantage of requiring a separate cover component used in conjunction with the inside panel, from which the outside panel hangs. Because of the necessity to allow for window movement through the cover, the cover must have an essentially oblong, toroidal shape. Consequently, the force of the weight of the outside panel will be concentrated at the lateral edges of the cover, resulting in deformation, and possible breakage of the cover at the lateral edges. Moreover, the mentioned profile strips offer no structural support, and act strictly as a seal between the various component parts.